


Snakebite

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-05
Updated: 2016-06-05
Packaged: 2018-07-12 10:10:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7098475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louisa has to help a sick little girl home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snakebite

Louisa rode into the Sunfield farm, still grinning at the memory of racing across the Forgotten Fields the other way with her girlfriend when they’d first met. Sundancer, feeling her happiness, smiled and pranced in place after stopping.

“Hey, where’s Freja?” Louisa asked. “I’m surprised she isn’t here gloating. Did I really beat her back?”

“Mm, probably not,” said Sun. “She did look pretty sick.”

“Maybe she went inside to lie down?” Louisa guessed. Well, it was more hoping. Because if she wasn’t home, then…

She decided to ask Martina if she’d seen her.

“No, I thought she was with you,” was the answer she got. “But she should be coming home soon though, it’s almost dinner time.”

Louisa swore internally, and almost swore externally when Freja didn’t answer her phone.

“I’ll go look for her,” said Louisa. “I’ll bring her back to you, Mrs Sunfield.”

“You know that you can call me Martina,” said Martina with a laugh. “You make me feel so old when you call me that.”

“Alright then, Martina,” said Louisa, and grinned when it made the woman laugh. “I will be back soon.”

“Don’t swear,” said Sundancer as they galloped out onto the road. “Younger ears might hear.”

“I won’t,” said Louisa. She stopped at the intersection before the stables and called out for Freja. No answer. Except for some clucking escaped chickens, which she glared at.

Louisa stopped several more times to call for Freja, but nobody answered her. She became increasingly worried the more her calls went answered, and the further away she got from the Sunfield farm.

“What if she didn’t even make it past Unfortunate Dews?” she worried as they rounded the Goldspur upper mill.

“There she is!” Sundancer suddenly called, and put on an extra burst of speed to reach the poor little sick girl.

“Oh, Freja,” said Louisa when she saw her. She dismounted and knelt down beside Freja who sat holding her injured wrist and breathing hard.

“Louisa,” said Freja, and sniffled. “I tried to run but then I got all dizzy and fell down. I feel so sick, please just take me home?”

“I will,” said Louisa, and gathered the little girl into her arms. “Come on, let’s get you home. Sundancer and I will give you a ride back to the farm.” It probably would have been better to take her to the Goldspurs first, but Idun might cause trouble. She’d probably call Martina irresponsible for allowing her child to get bitten by a snake in the first place.

“Thank you,” said Freja. Once Louisa had climbed back onto Sundancer, Freja wrapped her little arms around Louisa’s waist and pressed her burning little face into her back. “Ride slowly please, I feel sick.”

“Okay,” said Louisa. She kept Sundancer going at a walk, painfully aware that his more pronounced rocking motion wouldn’t be making her feel any better. If she got out of this without Freja either puking or fainting on her, it would surely be a miracle. She really wished that she remembered snakebite first-aid better. It was drilled into all Australian children at a young age, but that had been so long ago now.

Louisa took the horse trailer from Goldspur farm to Jarlaheim Field, grateful that the Goldspurs trusted her enough to use it. She held Freja on her lap for the drive, hoping that it wasn’t too late.

Riding back into Sunfield Farm was a huge relief, but the battle was far from over. Louisa knew that. Why hadn’t she checked the book to see if Cliff Cobras were poisonous? It had been really dumb in hindsight, but she’d been so focused on helping Freja that it had just slipped her mind. And besides, it wasn’t like Freja had given her a moment to think. Then when she’d gone home to sleep that night, it had slipped her mind completely.

And now Freja was in trouble. Because of her. Now the Sunfields would hate her.

“But you could lie,” Sundancer whispered to her. “Pretend that you didn’t know that a snake bit her.”

“Oh Freja, you’ve been in the wars, haven’t you?” said Martina when Louisa handed the sick little girl over to her mother. “Come on, let’s put you to bed.”

“Will she be okay?” asked Louisa when Martina stepped back outside. She wasn’t about to lie to this woman. Even if it would destroy the trust that she’d built with her.

“I don’t know,” said Martina. “Could you go see the vet in Jarlaheim? She’ll be able to help. She’s the closest thing we have to a doctor around here.” Probably cheaper than a doctor too, but Louisa wasn’t about to say anything.

“Sure,” said Louisa. She rode Sundancer into Jarlaheim, up the stairs, and spoke to the vet. All through the vet’s questions, Louisa desperately wanted to say what she knew to be true. But the vet had to eliminate all the possibilities first.

“Well then, it sounds like she was bitten by a snake,” said the vet. “A cliff cobra, to be precise. But they have a signature venom, so I can only make an antivenom from the snake that bit her. Can you catch it for me and bring it here? Then I’ll be able to quickly whip up an antivenom.”

One quick trip to the farm later, Louisa handed over the troublesome reptile to the vet. It occurred to her now that it was probably a good thing that Idun either hadn’t been informed or hadn’t been the mother of the victim- that poor snake would be killed without a doubt if it was up to Idun.

“She should put it in Ms Drake’s bed,” Sundancer suggested as they rode back to the farm. Louisa giggled.

“Nah, she’d love a snake,” said Louisa. “A kitten, now, that would make her scream.”

Miraculously, the antivenom worked quickly and Freja was soon back on her feet.

“I’m sorry she got bitten. It’s my fault,” said Louisa. “I should’ve been looking after her and I accept full responsibility.”

“Nonsense,” said Martina. “I’ve told Freja time and again to be careful around snakes but she never listens. Maybe now she will.”

“She’d better,” said Louisa. “She scared me for a while there.”

“My mum and dad wanted to thank you for all your help,” said Freja. “They said to give you this. I picked it out for you because it’s a nice dress.”

“It is,” Louisa agreed. “Thank you, Freja.” She got off Sundancer and hugged the little girl. “I’m glad you’re all better now.”

“All thanks to you,” said Freja, beaming up at her. “Thanks for helping me with my homework too, now we can play Star Horses together!”

Louisa chuckled. “Of course. I’ll add you as a friend when I get home and make an account. Now, stay away from snakes, okay?”

“You sound like my mum,” said Freja with a groan. “But I didn’t like feeling sick either, so okay!”

Louisa was still smiling as she rode off back home. Freja had brought out the motherly side to her that she normally reserved for cats. Or maybe it was just a big sister thing. Yes, it was definitely a big sister thing.


End file.
